Great Reads of Historical Fiction
Explore the best historical fiction books with our curated list of great reads. Dive into captivating stories set in the past, perfect for history buffs and book lovers alike.
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North and South
by John Jakes
Part one of the #1 New York Times bestselling North and South Trilogy—the Civil War saga that inspired the classic television miniseries North and South—with over five million copies sold! “An entertaining…authentic dramatization of American history.”—The New York Times From master storyteller John Jakes comes the epic story of two families—the Hazards and the Mains. Separated by vastly different ways of life, joined by the unbreakable bonds of true friendship, and torn asunder by a country on the brink of a bloody conflict that will irrevocably change them all…
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Love and War
by John Jakes
The Hazard family of Pennsylvania and the Main family of South Carolina experience five years of sacrifice, corruption, courage, brutality, friendship and passion during the Civil War. Reprint.
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Heaven and Hell
by John Jakes
The exhilarating conclusion of #1 New York Times bestselling author John Jakes' epic North and South Trilogy—the Civil War saga that inspired the classic television miniseries North and South—with over five million copies sold! The Civil War has ended, but the Hazards and Mains have yet to face their greatest struggles. Even as the embers of old hatreds continue to burn in the heart of a nation torn apart by war, a new future in the West awaits a new generation of Americans seeking a life of their own—and a place to call home. Filled with all of the vivid drama, passion, and action that has made John Jakes the acclaimed master of historical fiction, Heaven and Hell is the tumultuous final chapter in one of the greatest epics of our time.
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California Gold
by John Jakes
James Macklin Chase was a poor Pennsylvanian who dreamed of making it rich in California. But at the turn of the century, the money to be made was in oil, citrus, water rights, and the railroads. Mack would have it all, if he had his way. And along the way, the men and women he met, the passion he found, the enemies he made, and the great historical figures like William Randolph Hearts, Leland Stanford, and Theodore Roosevelt, he encountered, helped bring glory to the extraordinary century. "Riveting...CALIFORNIA GOLD strikes pay dirt....This sweeping epic is a dynamite tribute to the sheer pluck of one man who scorns all obstacles. He instills vibrancy in all his characterizations." RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH A Literary Guild Main Selection
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Lonesome Dove
by Larry McMurtry
Tells of a cattle drive from Texas to Montana and shows how one man's dream to create an empire affects others.
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1812
by David Nevin
A fictional account of the events of the early 19th-century conflict between Great Britain and the United States.
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London
by Edward Rutherfurd
“A TOUR DE FORCE . . . London tracks the history of the English capital from the days of the Celts until the present time. . . . Breathtaking.”—The Orlando Sentinel A master of epic historical fiction, Edward Rutherford gives us a sweeping novel of London, a glorious pageant spanning two thousand years. He brings this vibrant city's long and noble history alive through his saga of ever-shifting fortunes, fates, and intrigues of a half-dozen families, from the age of Julius Caesar to the twentieth century. Generation after generation, these families embody the passion, struggle, wealth, and verve of the greatest city in the Old World. Praise for London “Remarkable . . . The invasion by Julius Caesar’s legions in 54 B.C. . . . The rise of chivalry and the Crusades . . . The building of the Globe theatre . . . and the coming of the Industrial Revolution. . . . What a delightful way to get the feel of London and of English history. . . . We witness first-hand the lust of Henry VIII. We overhear Geoffrey Chaucer deciding to write The Canterbury Tales. . . . Each episode is a punchy tale made up of bite-size chunks ending in tiny cliffhangers.”—The New York Times “Hold-your-breath suspense, buccaneering adventure, and passionate tales of love and war.”—The Times (London) “Fascinating . . . A sprawling epic.”—San Francisco Chronicle
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Sarum
by Edward Rutherfurd
A masterpiece that is breathtaking in its scope, SARUM is an epic novel that traces the entire turbulent course of English history. This rich tapesty weaves a compelling saga of five families who preserve their own particular characteristics over the centuries, and offer a fascinating glimpse into the future.
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The Autobiography of Henry VIII
by Margaret George
The novel that started it all: Margaret George's debut novel of the legendary British king
